Heretofore, pneumatic tires having decorative sidewalls have been well received in the market. Previously, bands and other decorative features were applied to the sidewall by means of the vulcanization thereto of a complex extrudate during the curing process. Such techniques were not only expensive to implement, but were given to significant waste during the manufacturing process.
Copending patent application Serial No. 766,227, filed of even date herewith and assigned to The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, assignee of the instant invention, presents a decorative sidewall for a pneumatic tire which is a significant departure from the prior art. According to this copending application, a polymeric paint or film is applied to selected portions of a release substrate to form a decal which is in turn placed into a tire mold. The mold is closed and the polymeric paint is brought into contact with the tire. During the curing operation, the polymeric paint decal is bonded to the tire. When the substrate is removed, the tire is left with a bonded decorative applique attached to the sidewall thereof. Typically, the applique has a thickness on the order of 0.003 inch.
In light of the concept of this copending patent application, there is a need for various compositions of paint or film which may be used to form the decals. Such paints must be crack resistant in flexing, must not degrade with aging, and must have good fatigue life. Commercial inks which might be used for generating decals for transfer to rubber are typically not resistant to ultraviolet light, ozone, or outdoor aging. Accordingly, applicants have devised new formulations to achieve such results.